The present invention is directed to communicating environmental conditioning networks, and especially to initial configuration of such a network to identify which unit serving a respective conditioned space may be controlled by a respective cooperating unit.
Such networks contain multiple types of devices that are physically coupled together by common air duct, refrigerant lines, etc., comprising separate HVAC systems sharing the same communicating network. It is very difficult to automatically discern which ones of multiple types of devices belong to the same HVAC system.
The invention may be advantageously employed with many environmental conditioning systems including, by way of example and not by way of limitation, dehumidifying systems, humidifying systems, heating systems, cooling systems, ventilating systems and other systems affecting environment in a plurality of spaces. Units serving a conditioned space may be referred to as space interactive units, and may be located within the serviced space or outside of the serviced space. Cooperating units may operate outside the conditioned space, and may be referred to as environmentally interactive units. Space interactive units may communicate with environmentally interactive units outside the conditioned space, and a control unit may communicate via a network coupling with a plurality of space interactive units and environmentally interactive units to effect environmental control of a plurality of spaces from a central locus.
By way of illustrative example and not by way of limitation, the present invention may be described in an exemplary embodiment of a communicating network of heat pump systems. When a communicating environmental conditioning system is initially configured there may be significant time expended to assure that one accurately ascertains the line-up of units. In an exemplary heat pump network, one must accurately ascertain which environmental interactive unit (sometimes referred to as an outdoor unit) is coupled for cooperative operation with which respective space interactive unit (sometimes referred to as an indoor unit.
It would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus for effecting configuration of a communicating environmental conditioning system, such as a communicating heat pump network, in an efficient and timely manner.